The present invention relates to a sternum closure device and the method of use for closing a split sternum on the body of a patient. More particularly, it relates to a device which has a locking means to prevent backward movement of the sternum once the closure device is engaged.
Current methods used to close a sternum that has been split, typically during open heart surgery, include use of steel sutures or Dacron sutures placed either around or through the sternum. The major difficulty in using Dacron sutures in this procedure is the inadequate material strength of the suture and the inability to obtain the required tension using the dacron sutures which is necessary to close the sternum.
The major difficulty with using steel sutures is that the amount of force necessary to close the sternum may cause the wire to pull through the sternum, cutting the bone in its path, which is known as sternal dehiscense. Steel sutures also have difficulties in closure failure, i.e. overtwisting the suture results in hardening of the suture and breakage. A further disadvantage is that the use of wire sutures, which after being twisted together must be cut off, leaving sharp ends which are both palpable through the skin and cosmetically undesirable. Additionally, the force that a steel suture can apply is limited. Therefore the approximation of the sternum halves joined by this method is not as complete as desired. Sternum bone heals more quickly and with fewer complications when the bone is tightly joined.